The heavier of the two Devin Townsend releases this year, this album is truly amazing. Conceptual in nature, it has this incredibly Devin story of a man trying to work out the secret to nature and the universe, in essence reality, but can't because he's a vegetarian, and all the trials and tribulations that come with such an undertaking, including meeting the devil in hell. This is a hell of a ride, from start to finish, and from track 1 its ALL so typically Devin Townsend and so typically awesome you can't help but smile. There is a lot to take in at first listen, with two ten minute long tracks in the middle of the album, surrounded by typically insane Devin music on all corners, even the song titles give you the feeling there's something special about the album (The Mighty Masturbator ). From Praise The Lowered straight through to Poltergeist, this is just whopper, and exactly what anyone would want from Devy. Please listen to track 1, and enjoy the ride.

No surprises here, this is one of the most beautiful albums ever recorded, by a man whose work is is among the most consistently brilliant in the world of music. This absolutely serene, paradise in its purest musical form. Devin has never sounded quite like this, and only goes to show what he is really capable of. Tracks like Infinite Ocean and Ghost are just sublime, and the two behemoths of the album, Texada and Feather, are GUARANTEED to take you away from wherever you are and put you in your happiest place.

Mastodon have done it again! This album is just filled with serious RIFFS, and Mastodon are on fine form. Taking a break from their usual mantra of the album being conceptual with longer songs, this is Mastodon doing a straight up metal album, and proving that they can in fact do it all. Straight from Black Tongue, it sounds huge, with every song have hooks galore, Curl Of The Burl, Blasteroid, Spectrelight, Bedazzled Fingernails, memorable songs, all of them, with the music all sounding huge, like it wants to be played in a packed venue with everyone singing along to the chorus. Even the albums big curve ball, This Creature Lives, is incredible, with the vocal performances, which are again as varied as they come, are all on top form. This is a truly great album, by a truly great band.

Absolutely fucking phenomenal record this, by a band who seemed like they might be going just a little big stagnant. No hope of such things, as they came out with this belter of a death metal record. The songs are short, but absolutely amazing, with stuff like Moonlight Equilibrium and Carbonized In Cruciform showcasing the band have no shortage of ideas. Ryan Knight absolutely tears it up on this album, with Blood On The Ink and Malenchantments Of The Necrosphere having two of my favorite solos ever in BDM. This is album reassures me about modern metal to absolutely no end.

Progressive rock done incredibly right. Joey Eppard, Billy Riker, Chris Gartmann, Daniel Grimsland have created something truly special here in my opinion. This is an album that really puts a spell on you I think, with every single as captivating as the last. React, Sparrows, high Times, The Ghost You Gave To Me, Afterglow, every song, immense. The song-writing, the melodies, the lyrics, the vocals, near perfect. Three are probably one of my favorite bands after discovering them this year. I can't do them justice with my writing. Just listen, and see for yourself.

This is a mix of records I haven't heard yet, stuff that was disappointing, and stuff that had a certain criteria that eliminated it from being eligible.

Dream Theater - A Dramatic Turn Of Events

While being a great record, modern Dream Theater bores me after a while, so I couldn't in my right mind put it in my top 25 ahead of stuff I can constantly come back to.

Machine Head - Unto The Locust

I really just don't like Machine Head that much, and this record solidified that for me. Nothing personal, it just doesn't excite me that much

Trivium - In Waves

Biggest let down of the year for me. Straight up, I almost hate this record at times.

Morbid Angel - Illud Divinum Insanus

I don't hate this record, but Jesus Christ its like listening to a different band sometimes. Some moments are great, some are atrocious, some are just average. Too much of a mixed bag for its own good.

Stuff that didn't make the list because I wanted to include albums I physically own in the top 25, where applicable:

Legend of Zelda - 25th Anniversayr Symphony
Daniel Jakubovic - Thousand Walls (You can buy this physically, its just difficult, but I am trying to do so, and its a lock for top 5 otherwise)

I've heard a lot of other stuff this year, and some of it was awesome, but these were the pick of the pile. I love every record in the top 25, and I hate some of whats mentioned here but its been a great year musically. Hope you guys enjoyed my first fully finished review thread.. I hope to do some more bigger stuff this year!